Nature Abhors a Vacuum, But What's Between Your Ears?

Almost two months ago, I put myself to the task of looking back and analyzing R.E.M.'s catalogue in preparation for their fourteenth studio album. I think it's pretty evident that I'm a big fan of the group and have been for almost twenty years. Also, this has been an exercise in writing about and critiquing music. Now that I've had the opportunity to listen to Accelerate a number of times, I'm ready to give my views on it.

Accelerate - 2008

Now, that's more like it.

Finally, after a decade of sliding into mediocrity, the R.E.M. trio have finally decided to make a much needed course correction. There are several reasons for Accelerate being the best R.E.M. album in over a decade:

1. R.E.M are back to playing rock music. While Up won points for its experimentation and originality, Reveal and Around the Sun were stale, uninspired, and really boring. Not that I don't like a good ballad or a good pop song, but the operative word here is "good". R.E.M. slows it up a few times on Accelerate, but for the most part it's fast, loud, and crunchy. This record has more in common with Lifes Rich Pageant and Monster than anything else in their catalogue.

2. Since this album is more guitar-based than anything since New Adventures in Hi-Fi, Peter Buck is able to knock out some of his best riffs and licks since Monster. The guitar line that begins the album opener "Living Well is the Best Revenge" feels like the welcome return of an old friend and really sets the pace of the rest of the record. It may lack the sonic experimentation and detail madness of the guitar work on Monster, but it feels more thought out and inspired than his work over the last decade.

3. Mike Mills is back! Not that he ever left, but Mills' backing vocals (an R.E.M. staple) have all but disappeared over the course of the last three albums. Even when he was singing, Mills was mixed down so low that he could barely be heard. Not so on Accelerate. Not only are his vocals present on virtually every song, but he's mixed loud enough on most that he's practically co-singing the choruses with Michael Stipe.

4. Michael Stipe hasn't sounded this confident and urgent in forever. Lyrically, this is some of his strongest, most sincere, and quotable work in a long, long time. Also, his vocal melodies are really great and almost demand that the listener sing along.

5. There are songs on Accelerate that make great singles and should have some considerable longevity. "Supernatural Superserious" is one of the best singles R.E.M. has put out since "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?". Album opener "Living Well is the Best Revenge" kicks things off like a call to arms that incites us to wake up and listen. "Man-Sized Wreath" contains Stipe's best vocal melody on the record. "Horse to Water" is one of the most intense and fastest songs R.E.M. has ever played. Even the slower numbers, "Houston", "Until the Day is Done", and "Sing for the Submarine" have enough grit and character that they are head and shoulders above the sleepy snoozers on Reveal and Around the Sun.

6. Accelerate does not wear out its welcome. Some of R.E.M.'s past records have been hurt by the fact that they were too long and not to the point, particularly New Adventures in Hi-Fi and Up. Accelerate is eleven tracks and clocks in just under thirty-five minutes. With half of the songs being just over two minutes in length and most of it played fairly fast, the whole venture is finished before you know it. The record is good enough that I've listened to it back to back several times.

Accelerate isn't a perfect record by any means, but it's a hell of an improvement after such a downer and practically career terminator like Around the Sun. This is a much needed course correction and a welcomed one at that. More importantly, this is an R.E.M. album that I want to listen to. In fact, the reason I've listen to it so much in the last few days isn't necessarily to write this article, but because I'm enjoying it so much.

6 out of 10

The Worst Joke Ever

Around the Sun - 2004

Without a doubt, Around the Sun is the most disappointing album that R.E.M. has ever released. It's a limp fish of songs that were written as if the band wasn't even really trying. They put more effort into their best of, In Time, that came out the year before. The new material that was on In Time had me hoping that the next R.E.M. album would be a return to rock 'n' roll form. I was sadly mistaken.

The strongest songs are definitely the singles, "Leaving New York" and "Aftermath" in particular. But even these songs feel like weak efforts and more like pandering to the mainstream masses for AOR airplay. "Wanderlust" attempts to pick up the tempo and stands out a little, but still it's overwhelmed by the rest the underwhelming songs on the record.

I can't even bring myself to write much more about Around the Sun without feeling sad and let down. This was the first R.E.M. album that I had to make myself listen to all the way through and I was only able to after several attempts. At this point, I was ready to give up the band.

2 out of 10

Don't Talk to Me About Being Alone

In Time: The Best of R.E.M (1988 - 2003) - 2003

As far as best of albums go, In Time is somewhat of a disappointment. The biggest problem is that it covers too large of a period of R.E.M.'s career, culling songs from all their albums from Warner Bros. up to this point. The first five records in that group, Green, Out of Time, Automatic for the People, Monster, and New Adventures in Hi-Fi, were released during the band's most commercially successful period. In fact, this collection would have been better served if it had been split off accordingly: one disc of the five Warner albums with Bill Berry, and a disc to be released a few years later (say after Accelerate) covering R.E.M. as a trio. In an effort to include material from the two post-Bill Berry albums, Up and Reveal, as well as two new songs and a few from some soundtracks, a lot of great material is left off this retrospective.

The entire notion that Out of Time is only represented by one song, the triumphant "Losing My Religion", is pretty insulting. This record was a huge commercial hit and made R.E.M. a household name. "Shiny Happy People" may have been a little silly, but it was still a big hit. Also, "Radio Song", "Near Wild Heaven" and "Texarkana" all got significant radio play. Monster is given similar short-sighted treatment and is only represented by "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?".

In Time does a decent job as far as new and rare material is concerned. Two songs from soundtracks, "The Great Beyond" and "All the Right Friends" (the later is a reworking of an old R.E.M. tune from their bar playing days) are quite enjoyable. The new material "Bad Day", another reworked old R.E.M. song, and "Animal" are very appreciated after the lackluster showing of Reveal. These two are more rock based compared to the material the band had been putting out as a trio. Also, these songs contained something that had been missing lately: Mike Mills' awesome backing vocals.

The second disc of B-sides and rarities is really hit-or-miss. Most of it is filled with live or alternate versions of previously released material. Fortunately, there is a small assortment of really great songs that were used on soundtracks included. "Fretless" is mesmerizing and has some great Kate Pierson vocals, "Chance (dub)" is goofy but fun, "It's a Free World Baby" is a sold R.E.M. track, and Monster tour staple "Revolution" really rocks.

In Time is still enjoyable, but it falls short of being a really solid retrospective. The focus is too wide and the material on the second disc isn't exceptional enough to warrant it. A person is better off crafting their own version of a mid-career R.E.M. best of album.

6 out of 10

No One Can See You Cry

Reveal - 2001

While I enjoyed most of Up and was getting used to the idea of an R.E.M. three-piece, I was initially excited about Reveal when it was first announced. I saw Up as the transition and was hoping that the next record would be the boys getting down to the business of making great music as they had in the past. R.E.M. had released a pretty decent single that was on the Man on the Moon soundtrack, "The Great Beyond" a year or so earlier. This positive outlook increased after I heard two tracks that were to be on Reveal, the lead-off single "Imitation of Life" and the opening track "The Lifting".

"Imitation of Life" was classic R.E.M., maybe too classic. It was more upbeat than anything on the prior album and was a little more guitar based. The entire piece was wrapped in strings like songs on Automatic for the People. Also, I couldn't help but sing along to it. There is the matter of the verse chords being the exact same progression of the verse chords for "Driver 8". I'm sure this wasn't intentional, but it helped reinforce the notion of this being a very R.E.M. song, even on a subconscious level.

"The Lifting" was a bit different. It's a swirl of keyboards and heavily effected guitars, and it pulled more from Up than "Imitation of Life" did. Still "The Lifting" felt like an R.E.M. song, just in different clothes. Michael Stipe's singing was clear and excellent and Peter Buck even got the opportunity to knock out a rather nice guitar solo in the middle.

And then the album was released.

Except for a handful of decent tracks, most of Reveal is like lukewarm bath water: not painfully uncomfortable, but far from perfect. Very few of the songs stand out from the pack. "All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)" manages to make itself noticed by invoking a old style "King of the Road" sort of guitar line, and the melody is hummable. Unfortunately, the bulk of the record is pretty unremarkable. The last five tracks on Reveal are considerably better than most of the first half, but they're not interesting enough to salvage the whole project.

Needless to say, Reveal was a big disappointment. Instead of moving forward, R.E.M. felt like they were running in place. Maybe the next record would be an improvement...

4 out of 10

Can't You See I Need Nothing Too Deep

Up - 1998

With the departure of drummer Bill Berry, the remaining trio of R.E.M. (Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, and Mike Mills) were put to the task of how to approach their next album. Berry was more than just a drummer. Apparently, he made no bones about giving his opinion on a song or making suggestions, and even had a hand in writing some of the music. He had also been playing bass on tracks that required Mike Mills to hop on the keyboards. While his background vocals were never as defining or signature as Mill's, Berry's lower voice always did a capable job of adding some lower register harmonies and was well utilized live. In other words, Bill Berry was a vital part of the band, but now the new R.E.M. was in a position to totally reinvent themselves.

While New Adventures in Hi-Fi has lost a little of its luster over the years, Up has done the opposite. Of all the post-Bill Berry records produced by R.E.M., Up has actually maintained some long term listenability. In fact, if it weren't so long and was trimmed down to about ten or eleven tracks, it might have been a rather excellent album. The atmosphere for most of Up is pretty chilled, which hasn't been an issue on past R.E.M. records like Automatic for the People. However, despite the strength of some of the later tracks, Up gets a bit snoozy at the end.

From the very beginning of Up, R.E.M. is letting the listener know that this record will not be like their past efforts. "Airportman" is an hypnotic soundscape of mantra-like mumbling from Stipe and feedback from Buck. Things really pick up with "Lotus", which is about as upbeat as the record gets. This is one of the few songs on the album that features a really strong guitar lick, but even its appearance on this track is fairly sparse.

R.E.M. change things up again on the third track with the amazingly, beautiful "Suspicion". This is a sultry, space-lounge number purred out by Stipe and held together with organ and vibes. This is one of the strongest tracks on Up even if it runs a little long. Gears shift again with "Hope", a strange electro-pop number that is dominated with buzzing noises and keyboards. R.E.M. has never attempted a song like this before, and the effort is commendable. In some ways, "Hope" is to R.E.M. as "Idioteque" is to Radiohead.

From this point on, Up falls into a pattern of mid-to-slow tempo songs. This framework is only deviated from on a few numbers. "Walk Unafraid" picks up the speed a little bit during the chorus. It's one of the album's highlights and features some of Stipe's best lyrical work on Up. While "Daysleeper" is still fairly low key, its arrangement is probably the closest to "classic" R.E.M. of anything on the record. It's not surprising that this was chosen as the lead off single for Up.

Despite some redundancy, Up is pretty pleasant. In hindsight, it's extremely strong when compared to the next two albums, Reveal and Around the Sun. At least R.E.M. was taking advantage of their line up change and decided to experiment, making the next two seem lazy and uninspired.

6 out of 10

I Look Good in a Glass Pack

New Adventures in Hi-Fi - 1996

The bulk of New Adventures in Hi-Fi was recorded while R.E.M. was on tour in support of Monster. This was mainly done during soundchecks, but a few basic tracks were recorded in front of a live audience. The band later adjourned to a studio in Seattle after the tour, and recorded overdubs where needed, as well as four other songs. As a result, Hi-Fi is a bit of a mixed bag.

The material that was recorded on the road tends to be more rock influenced (this was the Monster tour, after all), while the studio tracks leans a little more towards R.E.M.'s older, jangle-pop style. Most of the songs are really strong, despite this variance. However, the record clocks in at over an hour and five minutes, which is about twenty minutes too long for a satisfying listening experiences for me.

By the end of the eighth track, a glorious return to classic R.E.M. form called "Bittersweet Me", Hi-Fi starts to wear out its welcome and the dip in quality is noticeable. "Be Mine" and "So Fast, So Numb" are rather unexceptional and the instrumental "Zither" is well played but unnecessary. Luckily, this second half of the record is saved by the fiery "Binky the Doormat" and the very charming "Electrolite".

Length becomes an issue for certain songs, too. "Leave" clocks in at over seven minutes. This includes a one minute acoustic intro which gives way to a blaring siren that continues throughout the entire piece. I give R.E.M. props for trying out something totally different, but six minutes of a klaxon becomes grating.

It sounds like that I'm really coming down on this record, but there is still plenty of great material on it. Underneath the extra bulk lies a really solid R.E.M. record. "E-Bow the Letter" may be a strange choice for a lead-off single, but it contains vocals by Patti Smith and some of Michael Stipe's best stream of consciousness lyrics since "Country Feedback". Unfortunately, later attempts to use the sing-speak delivery he employs on "E-Bow" pale in comparison. There's a rendition of this song performed at the Tibetan Freedom Concert with Radiohead's Thom Yorke filling in for Patti Smith that's simply captivating.

One of the themes that Stipe dives head first into with Hi-Fi is religion, or his lack of a need for it. This is evident in the one-two punch of "New Test Leper" and "Undertow". Not that these ideas are shocking, but it is worth noting as a topic that Stipe never addressed this boldly before.

Another major significance of New Adventures in Hi-Fi is that it signals the end of the third era of R.E.M. which began with the tremendous success of Out of Time. This would be the final record produced by Scott Litt, who ran the boards since Document. Also, drummer Bill Berry would soon decide to retire, leaving R.E.M. as a trio.

6 out of 10

If There Is Some Confusion, Who's To Blame?

Monster - 1994

"And now for something completely different."

After exploring softer sounds on their last two records, R.E.M. do a complete 180° turn with Monster. This was the early half of the '90s, punk had made a triumphant return and grungy, loud guitars ruled the day. R.E.M. had become defacto elder statesmen of the alternative rock movement, and they decided that they could still hang with the kids. Some saw this move as an attempt to cater to the younger generation, while others took it as a desire to try something so radically different for a band that was continuing to evolve. Maybe it was a little of both. Either way, R.E.M. was putting all their chips on the line and banking on the goodwill that they had earned over the last four albums.

While I think that Automatic for the People is slightly overrated, I also believe that Monster is unjustifiable shafted. The record is full of some really great songs and the whole project is one big experiment in which R.E.M. continues to push themselves out of their comfort zone and explore some different sounds. At no time does the band not still sound like R.E.M.

If Out of Time was Mike Mill's record, than Monster is all Peter Buck. This being a rock album, the guitars are loud and in the front. At the same time, Buck is conscious enough to vary their tones and experiment with a variety of guitars, amps, and effects. In other words, he knows when to make the guitars wail, buzz, or crunch.

In some ways, Monster is actually a return to form for R.E.M. Many listeners that became fans with the last two records and had not ventured into the back catalogue may not have been aware of "R.E.M. the rock band" that used to play smelly bars. This is made even more evident by the first single and the album's lead off track, "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" Not only are the electric guitars and Bill Berry's booming drums back, but so is the incomprehensible nature of Michael Stipe's early singing style. "Star 69" is almost impenetrable due to delay effects on his vocals.

It's not all glammed out noise, either. "I Don't Sleep, I Dream" is a rolling meditation of shimmering guitars and "Tongue" is a vampy number that Stipe coos out in falsetto. "Strange Currencies" begins with a guitar line a little too similar to "Everybody Hurts", but grows into an "on bended knees" lover's plead.

While the first half of Monster is more up beat, even fun at times, things take a darker turn with the last half. Sex as a weapon is the focus of "Bang and Blame" (probably the weakest track on the record). "I Took Your Name" is a conflict of warring identities. "Let Me In" is obviously about Kurt Cobain's suicide, but is done with a tremendous amount of reverence and dignity. The album ender "You" is hypnotic and spooky. The real winner of this later batch of songs is "Circus Envy". Its buzzing and crunchy guitars are a perfect fit for the song's lyrics about self-incrimination, finger pointing (both directions), and jealousy.

With Out of Time, Stipe explored the idea of love and its various facets. Monster is about sex and sexual identity. It's very fitting that Michael Stipe transforms his public persona during this period. His shaved head, that first debuted with the "Kenneth" video, was just a physical manifestation of this change, while publicly Stipe became less ambiguous about his sexuality. Michael Stipe the quiet enigma was now gone. Here was a new louder, prouder Michael Stipe.

I won't begin to get into the subsequent tour that followed the release of Monster. The various health issues (number one being Berry's brain aneurysm) that plagued it are legendary. The tour as huge and successful, but for some reason, this is the one R.E.M. album that I always find in the used CD bins at record stores. Apparently, Monster didn't meet a lot of folks' expectations. This is sad, because under all the noise and holler lies a really good record.

8 out of 10

Baby, Instant Soup Doesn't Really Grab Me

Automatic for the People - 1992

After making their fans wait over two years between Green and Out of Time, R.E.M. made up for the lag by releasing Automatic for the People only a year and a half later. One of the advantages of this was that R.E.M. was still heavily in the music mainstream conscious. The band had won a handful of Grammys the year before as well as receiving a gaggle of Moonmen at the MTV Video Music Awards (the Michael Stipe's removal of several layers of t-shirts with causes and slogans during their acceptance speeches is still a great moment and very indicative of R.E.M. at the time). Luckily, Automatic... was a really, really great record that could take advantage of the band's new found stardom.

While I think that Automatic... is an amazing album, I don't think that it's the end-all-be-all of R.E.M. records, as it is usually treated. In some ways, I think that it's a little overrated. Don't get me wrong; this album is worthy of praise, but there are a few things about it that knocks it down a few notches for me personally.

Strings can be a great accent for a song, but John Paul Jones' arrangements dominate the album. Sure, they're well constructed and utilized, but at times it feels like they almost push R.E.M. out of the songs. For me, it's a little too much.

Secondly, and this purely from hindsight, "Everybody Hurts" and "Man on the Moon" have been played to death and canonized to the point of self-parody. It doesn't help that "Everybody Hurts", while the sentiment is pure and sweet, pushes its therapy session message right up to the edge of farce. Another unfortunate side-effect of these two hits is that the R.E.M. of recent years has been trying desperately to recapture their formulas to dire results.

Enough of the bad; this is still a great record. For me the real highlights of the album are the non-single slow numbers. "Try Not To Breath" and "Sweetness Follows" are two of the most beautiful songs R.E.M. have ever created. They're sad without being forced and elegantly played. Also, there's very little string work outside of a little cello playing. Another great element is Peter Buck's usage of guitar feedback which balances exceptionally well with Mike Mill's organ playing.

R.E.M. only "rock out" once on the record, and that's on the politically charged "Ignoreland". It's a fiery indictment of all the wrongdoings of the Reagan/Bush era and a call for change (which would finally happen that November with the election of Bill Clinton). Lyrically, it may sound a little dated today (well, maybe not, now that I think about it), but the intent is still sincere and raw.

I have to admit, I really like "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite". There are so many things working against it, but for some reason, I can't deny it. Its title is a play on an another song. The strings are all over it. The lyrics are goofy. It seems to go on forever (three verses) before getting to the bridge. People constantly mis-hear the chorus and need to be corrected. But, heaven help me, I love this goddamn song. It's one of R.E.M.'s best "gas station songs"; a name I use for songs that are released for airplay, don't become big hits, but you always hear them over gas station speakers or at the grocery store (also see "Electrolite" and "Aftermath").

I would be remissed if I didn't mention the album's two gorgeous closers. "Nightswimming" is unlike anything that R.E.M. have ever recorded before. It's just Stipe singing and Mills playing the piano (oh and those pesky strings, again). It's stripped down, elegant, and simply moving. "Find a River" capsulizes the record's themes of loss, of love, loved ones, and youth, into a fine, almost perfect coda. Mill's background wailing is particularly effective here.

Automatic for the People ended up being an even bigger success than Out of Time. This is the R.E.M. album most likely to be found in any given person's collection of CDs. With such remarkable popularity and achievement, I wonder what would happen if a band like this decided to drastically alter their sound on the next record? Hrmmmm......

9 out of 10

Baby's Got Some New Rules

Out of Time - 1991

Has it really been seventeen years since this album was released? My, my, my, how the years go by! Half my life ago, this little record came along and would be very instrumental in me falling in love with R.E.M. and alternative/indie rock. With that new love affair would come a desire to create music myself. In other words, this is a very important album for me personally, so my opinion of it will probably reflect that. Not that I'm too worried. Out of Time is loved by many people, not just R.E.M. fans.

If Document opened the door to mainstream success and rock 'n' roll stardom, then Out of Time had R.E.M. moving into the house. With Out of Time, R.E.M. entered the third stage of the band's career in which they became universally hailed as one the most important bands of their generation, if not rock music in general. It apparently was the right album at the right time, because it sounded like nothing else on the radio at the time, or like anything that R.E.M. had ever done before.

The most evident change for R.E.M. on Out of Time is their overall sound. It isn't immediately noticeable on the first track "Radio Song", which is funky rocker that wouldn't be out of place on the last record Green (even with KRS-One supplying some well-placed emphasizing). But once the strings and mandolin kick up on the second song, "Losing My Religion", it's pretty evident that this is a very different R.E.M. record. While the tempos and instrumentation varies throughout the album, there is a serene mood sustained. Even the more up beat songs feel somewhat relaxed. The instrument swapping that occurred on some of tracks on Green continues on the bulk of this record, especially with drummer Bill Berry on the bass and bassist Mike Mills on keyboards, adding to the change in sound. The uses of strings and pedal steel guitar on various tracks help unify the album as a whole, too.

Lyrically, Michael Stipe tries something that he had never attempted before: write love songs. These aren't all love songs about romantic relationships, either. "Shiny Happy People" is about love towards those in your community or the world at large. "Belong" centers on a mother's love for her child. Stipe isn't alone when it comes to providing the lyrics for Out of Time, either. Mike Mills, who has always supplied backing vocals and even wrote the lyrics to "Don't Go Back To (Rockville)" from Reckoning, helps out with "Near Wide Heaven" and "Texarkana". As a result, Mills sings the lead on both tracks, something he hasn't done since the cover of "Superman" on Lifes Rich Pageant.

Mills and Berry (who has done some backing vocals on past R.E.M. records) aren't the only other voices that joins Stipe on Out of Time. The aforementioned KRS-One playfully emphasizes throughout "Radio Song" and provides a quick rap at the end of the song. Fellow Athens, GA alt-rock singer Kate Pierson of the B-52s helps out on three songs. She duets with Stipe on "Shiny Happy People" and "Me in Honey", and sings some back up at the end of "Country Feedback". Though she isn't credited on the song, I swear it sounds like her on "Near Wild Heaven". Her performances are so exquisite, that there was a brief time that I hoped Pierson would join R.E.M. full-time.

Somehow, all these element come together and create a truly great record. R.E.M. ran the risk of alienating their fans, old and new, by attempting something so different from the college radio rock that they cultivated throughout the '80s. In doing so, they made a classic album that has and will continue to stand the test of time.

10 out of 10

I Am Not the Type of Dog That Could Keep You Waiting

Green - 1988

Green is kind of an odd album when you start to look at it in the context of R.E.M.'s entire catalogue. It should be noted that this was the first record by R.E.M. on a major label, Warner Bros., resulting in even more exposure. To this end, Green can be looked upon as a transitional album for the band. Also, there are songs on this album that sound unlike anything R.E.M. has ever produced.

There are two types of songs on Green: those that would not be out of place on the previous record, Document, and other songs that hint at what the band's next effort, Out of Time, would sound like. "You Are The Everything", "The Wrong Child", and "Hairshirt" are the three songs (all beautiful and haunting) that display a dramatic change in instrumentation and style for R.E.M., as well as foreshadow what's to come. Drummer Bill Berry is moved over to the bass for these tracks, freeing bassist Mike Mills to play the organ and piano. Also, guitarist Peter Buck switches out his axe for mandolin. Pedal steel guitar, another instrument that would be effectively utilized on Out of Time, makes an appearance on "World Leader Pretend", but that song is sonically in keeping with the more Document sounding tunes.

The bulk of the record is made up of songs that take advantage of R.E.M.'s success with Document. Most of these tracks are rockers and perfect for the year long arena tour that the band was about to embark on. Hit single "Orange Crush" practically copies the format of the previous record's smash hit, "The One I Love". Despite not having an energetic guitar solo like "The One I Love", "Orange Crush" has one verse that is repeated twice and a wailed, incomprehensible chorus. I guess if it worked once, it may work again. Well, it did, since the song went to #1 on the U.S. mainsteam rock and the modern rock charts.

Another big hit was "Stand", which was too ridiculous to ignore or dislike. It feels like a children's nursery rhyme that got beefed up with loud guitars. This is a song that begins with a merry-go-round inspired organ part and culminates into an incredibly silly, but fun, wha-wha guitar solo. It's not surprising that the song was used as the theme for Chris Elliot's equally goofy, yet strangely appealing, short-lived television show, Get a Life.

Lyrically, the songs either take a conversational form (Stipe addressing someone, giving directions, etc.) or are expressed from the view point of a character that is not necessarily Stipe. It's hard to get anymore conversational than "Pop Song '89". It's basically a conversation about making conversation. "Get Up", "Stand", and the untitled, last track take more of a directional format, telling the listener what to do. In other words, there is a "you" being addressed in each of these songs.

The character driven tracks are more "me" oriented. "The Wrong Child" gives voice to a handicapped child, where as "Orange Crush" seems to be delivered by someone that has taken part in some sort of conflict. "World Leader Pretend" has a monologue that must be so important to Stipe, that it's the first song to ever have its lyrics published in the liner notes of an R.E.M. album.

In experimenting with new instrumentation while still creating songs that are not too dissimilar to their previous work, R.E.M. has begun to prepare their listeners for the many transformations that the band will undertake sonically over the next decade. With this new freedom to experiment, even larger success was just an album away.

8 out of 10

Living Well is the Best Revenge

Since I'm taking on the task of doing a discography overview of R.E.M., I figured I might as well include a link to a recording of their show at SXSW (available at the NPR website). The new songs from Accelerate are definitely more rockin' than anything they've done since New Adventures in Hi-Fi. The boys even dive into the older material with a renewed feeling of urgency. This makes me excited about the new record even more.

Chance is Yours and Call the Shot

Eponymous - 1988

After I listened to Out of Time many times and fell in love with R.E.M., the next album (or should I say "cassette") that I purchased was Eponymous. This record only deepened my appreciation of the band even more. Eponymous is the first "best of" album by R.E.M. Besides offering an small overview of the band's body of work while at I.R.S. Records, this collection also contained alternate takes on three songs and another track that had only previously appeared on a soundtrack.

Eponymous starts at the very beginning and opens up with the original Hib-Tone version of "Radio Free Europe". I've always loved this rendition of the songs so much more than the later Murmur one. The selection from Chronic Town is "Gardening At Night", but with a different vocal mix. Instead of singing in falsetto, this version has Michael Stipe belting out the lyrics in his regular "rock" voice. The instrumental track is still the same, but this new vocal mix really seems to give the song some extra power.

This is followed by "Talk About the Passion" from Murmur, "So. Central Rain" and "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville" from Reckoning, and "Can't Get There From Here" and "Driver 8" from Fables of the Reconstruction. These are all great tracks, but the next real treat on Eponymous is "Romance". This energetic number first appeared on the Made In Heaven soundtrack.

Unfortunately, this is followed up with only one track from Lifes Rich Pageant, which is sorely under-represented here. Luckily, "Fall on Me" is such a magnificent song that it almost makes up for it. The next songs are R.E.M.'s first major hit, "The One I Love", and a new version of "Finest Worksong" that now contains horns. Eponymous closes fittingly with the all too catchy "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)".

As far as "greatest hits" albums go, Eponymous is an excellent example of doing one right. It starts at the very beginning of a band's career, culls a single or two from each album, and includes a couple of new treats. If anyone is remotely interested in R.E.M. this is where they should begin.

10 out of 10

A Mean Idea To Call My Own

Document - 1987

And then there was Document. This is the album that firmly established R.E.M. in the mainstream. Not only did the record break into the Top 10 Billboard album charts, it also boasts the band's first Top 10 single, "The One I Love". Also, this would be the first R.E.M. record produced by Scott Litt. Litt would go on to produce the next five albums by the band.

Document is probably the most overtly political album ever made by R.E.M. Themes of labor, business, and corruption dominate its eleven tracks. This record would cement R.E.M. as a "political rock band"; an image that would be sustained into the era of early '90s "Rock the Vote" politics. While this record displays a growing maturity in theme and songcraft, it's still a really great rock album.

On Document, R.E.M. continue to develop the louder rock sound that the band fostered on Lifes Rich Pageant. In fact, there is only one real slow number on the record, "King of Birds". "Oddfellows Local 151" has a slow tempo, but it's filled with crunch and noise and eventually picks up the pace. Even mid-tempo tracks like "Welcome to the Occupations" and "Disturbance at the Heron House" have an undercurrent of rock power that separates them from similarly paced songs from earlier albums.

This album is best know for its two big singles, "The One I Love" and "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)". I find it odd that "The One I Love" was such a big hit. It has only one verse that is repeated twice and a chorus that is wailed almost into incomprehension. But, it's a rocking song with a great guitar solo. You never know what people are going to dig. The other single is a novelty song that utilizes the trick of stringing seemingly unrelated subject manners together, similar to Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues". Fortunately, R.E.M. takes the idea and creates a bombastic, enthusiastic song that I find hard not to sing along with.



From this point on, R.E.M. were on their way to being one the greatest American rock bands of all time. Also, they were a few albums away from securing their legacy as alternative rock legends. Document was only the beginning of a string of albums that would be the band's most acclaimed and highest sellers. These records would form the backbone of the R.E.M.'s catalogue.

9 out of 10

All Along the Range

Dead Letter Office - 1987

Here it is: the obligatory B-sides and rarities album. Dead Letter Office is a fun little diversion, but not really a proper R.E.M. album. If anything, it shows the band's influences as well as having fun. One thing is for sure, they love the Velvet Underground. Dead Letter Office boasts three covers of their songs: "There She Goes", "Pale Blue Eyes", and "Femme Fatale". Other covers include a drunken rendition of Roger Miller's "King of the Road" (complete with Mike Mills shouting out chord changes to Peter Buck), Aerosmith's "Toys in the Attic (a send up performed with such enthusiasm, it has to be heard to be believed), and Pylon's "Crazy" (Like "Superman", R.E.M. makes this song their own).

As far as the originals go, "Burning Down" and "Bandwagon" are fairly decent, but the real winner is "Ages of You". It's a moves a good clip, has that signature early era, Buck "chuga" guitar for the verse, and some great backing vocals by Mills. It definitely feels like a song that barely missed the cut to appear on one of the regular records.

Other than that, there's not much to comment on. "Voice of Harold" is amusing for the first few minutes (Michael Stipe reading the liner notes of a gospel album over the music of "7 Chinese Bros."), but it wears out its welcome fast. Its greatest accomplishment is making me to appreciate the Reckoning track even more. "White Tornado" is fun surf rock, but it works mainly as a showcase for Peter Buck and Bill Berry's respective guitar and drumming prowess.

Dead Letter Office is for R.E.M. completest and fans of their early years. It's a fun record, but not very deep. It's best listened to when working in the garage or cleaning the house.

5 out of 10

I Will Rearrange Your Scales

Lifes Rich Pageant - 1986

With Lifes Rich Pageant (there's no apostrophe on purpose, so I don't want to hear it!), R.E.M. began to enter the second phase of the band's career. At this point, the boys from Athens, GA were gaining the attention of listeners outside the college radio loyal and the album went as high as #21 on the US album charts. While being their most "commercial" album to date, it was still one of their best. Legend has it that many of the songs on Lifes Rich Pageant are holdovers from previous recording sessions or just songs that R.E.M. had never got around to recording before. If that's the case, then this ain't too bad for leftover.

Don Gehman's production is crystal clear, enabling R.E.M. to sound like they're playing a music hall instead of a cellar. In doing so, Michael Stipe's lyrics are more discernible than ever before, making this the easiest record to sing along to, so far. Also, Stipe is more confident as a vocalist than he has ever been before. This is nicely balanced by a stronger vocal presence by Mike Mills in the background. Mills is practically a co-singer at times, especially on "These Days", "Fall On Me", and the cover of The Clique's "Superman", where he's basically the lead singer. He continues to provide harmonies, melody and counter-point lyrics, but now his microphone has been turned up even more.

Another big change is that R.E.M. really bring the rock on several tracks like never before. The album opens with one of those wonderful Peter Buck guitar licks that quickly crashes into a dirge of feedback and power chords on the aptly titled "Begin the Begin". The momentum is sustained, if not ratcheted up on "These Days". This is in keeping with a time-honored rock album tradition of following a rocking opener with a harder, louder number. Plus, Bill Berry's drumming sounds like a clap of thunder, as he is allowed to let loose on these first two tracks.

R.E.M. slow it all down quickly with the brilliant "Fall On Me" and the almost as excellent "Cuyahoga". The former was released as a single and has become a signature song for the band, ever since. The highlights on "Fall On Me" include a beautiful bridge sung by Mills, and a three-way vocal pile-on by Stipe, Mills, and Berry on the outro. "Cuyahoga" is detailed and picturesque. Its environmental themes make a it a good compliment to the prior song, if you believe that "Fall On Me" is about acid rain (which it probably isn't, but oh, well).

The first side of Lifes Rich Pageant ends with another up-tempo number, "Hyena" and the extremely odd "Underneath the Bunker". The former is fun little rock number, but the later is essentially a throwaway track. Sure, it is competently done, but "Underneath the Bunker" is full of strange lyrics, gypsy rhythms, and Tex-Mex guitar solos. In other words, it really doesn't fit on the record and can't be taken seriously. It's not a bad song, but it is a wisely placed side A ender allowing it to be an album interlude.

The second begins as an anti-thesis of the first, with the slow, moving ballad "The Flowers of Guatemala". This song exemplifies Michael Stipe's broadening worldview as a lyricist, which is evident throughout the album. Also, Peter Buck is allowed a simple, but effective guitar solo, which is rare for R.E.M.

"I Believe" is probably one my favorite R.E.M. songs to sing along with. Stipe rattles off a string of seemingly non-sequetuer lines that I am unable to resist repeating. Other bonuses include a quick banjo intro and an accordion bridge.

"What If We Give It Away" is a pleasant enough mid-tempo track filled with some wonderful Stipe wails. It works mainly as a buffer between "I Believe" and the whirlwind that is "Just A Touch". "Just A Touch" is like honky-tonk on steroids. It's a speedy throwdown full of "Whoops", dirty guitars, screaming Hammond organs, and banged out piano. If there was a show-stopper on the album, this would be it.

Lifes Rich Pageant is sweetly, but hauntingly epilogued with "Swan Swan H". In a way, this song feels more in keeping with the southern themes of earlier R.E.M. albums. Still, it's a moving little chanty and great bookend to this record.

Last but not least is "Superman". Like "Underneath the Bunker", its inclusion seems rather odd. However, where "Underneath the Bunker" is a throwaway, "Superman" is more of a bonus track. It's a cover song, it doesn't really fit with the rest of the record, and the album's narrative flow has already been wrapped up with "Swan Swan H", but I think the world is a better place because it was recorded. This is one of those cover songs in which the people covering the song make it their own and the new version becomes "the version".

Lifes Rich Pageant is a transitional record for R.E.M. and it's one of their best. They've begun to rock harder and sound clearer. This batch of songs will really come in handy when they start to tour arenas in the near future.

9 out of 10

Footnote: The tracklisting on back of the record is not what's on the disc/vinyl/tape:
"Begin the Begin"
"Hyena"
"Just A Touch"
"I Believe"
"These Days"
"The Flowers of Guatemala"
"Cuyahoga"
"What If We Give It Away"
"Fall On Me"
"Swan Swan H"
Rumor has it that the order was changed at the last minute, but the cover had already been finished. If this is the original sequence, it's interesting to listen to it that order. "Underneath the Bunker" and "Superman" are not present, and the first side holds all the rockers, where as the second contains all a slower numbers.

Keep Your Money In Your Shoes

Fables of the Reconstruction - 1985

I think that Fables of the Reconstruction is the best R.E.M. album from their years at I.R.S. Records. Scratch that. I think it's their best record of all time. There, I've said it. Now I can proceed into an overly bias diatribe on how awesome it is.

For me, Fables... does everything a great record should to be truly excellent. It's cohesive without redundancy. In other words, the songs fit well on the same record, but the individually they are distinct. Also, there are several themes that provide an undercurrent for this piece; namely travel and idiosyncratic southerners. Yet, Fables... avoids the trappings of a standard concept album and it doesn't overstay its welcome (Fables... clocks in at just under forty minutes). In addition, R.E.M. try out some new tricks, without making a drastic change to their sound. Oh, and the songs are really, really good. Actually, they're all fairly brilliant.

The album opens with one of Peter Buck's greatest guitar riffs. The haunting line that begins "Feeling Gravity's Pull" helps establish the melancholia that will continue to permeate through most of the record. Also, this song begins R.E.M.'s off and on relationship with strings.

"Maps And Legends" is another winner full of cascading chords and layered vocals. Though some of his lyrics continue to be cryptic and hard to determine, Michael Stipe's vocals are clearer than they've been on the previous albums. Bassist Mike Mills continues to be an extremely reliable backing vocalist and really shines on this track.

Fables... really gets rolling with "Driver 8", one of the two singles culled from the record. Buck pulls off another great intro riff on this track. The musical arrangement, plus Bill Berry's deliberate drumming, help evoke the feeling of traveling by train.

We are introduced to an interesting character with strange carpentry ambitions in "Life and How to Live It". Stipe really lets the wails rip during certain sections of this song, while Mills provides an undercurrent "oohs" throughout. Once again, Buck kicks off the song with an amazing opening riff.

Things get a little hushed and spooky with "Old Man Kensey". This is helped out by Mill's creepy bass line. Bright streams of light burst through every so often on the track, especially during the bridge. Stipe and Mills continue sing around each other, playing with counter melody and singing different lines at the same time.

The second side opens up with a rather odd track: "I Can't Get There From Here". Buck uses a funky shuffle riff on this groovy number. Also, Stipe plays with his delivery, is still able to keep it from sounding jokey. This track also introduces horns into an R.E.M. arrangement. Despite the strange variances, this song is still a fun single and it builds on one of the album's themes.

"Green Grow The Rushes" is a fairly straight forward track that is in keeping with R.E.M.'s previous work. It works as a palette cleanser after the craziness of "ICGTFH". It's a pretty song, but feels weak compared to the rest of the album.

"Kohutek" is a truly great song. It oscillates between showery, splash chords and jangle rock. Then, out of nowhere, comes a rarely heard (for R.E.M.) guitar solo, from which Mills and Berry triplets the band back into the verse.

Probably the most rocking song on the album is "Auctioneer (Another Engine)". Berry is thunderous on the drums and he really propels the song forward. The tension is further amplified by Stipe and Mill's discordant harmonies.

In contrast, "Good Advices" is sweet and serene. It spotlights one of Stipes best vocal performances on the album and has his most discernible lines. It also contains a gorgeous walk up melody played by Buck and Mills during the chorus.

Which brings us to the closer, "Wendell Gee". This feels like a companion piece to "Old Man Kensey". Both songs end their respective album sides and focus on a character who lends his name to the song title. This is a quite little country ditty that features the banjo.

Of course, writing about Fables of the Reconstruction doesn't come close to doing the record justice. This is R.E.M. with two and a half albums under their belt, showing us what they've learned and how they've come to master their craft. It gets my highest recommendation.

10 out of 10

God Damn Your Confusion

Reckoning - 1984

Reckoning is the album that R.E.M. finally became the R.E.M. that I would eventually fall in love with. Right out of the gate, "Harborcoat" signals an energy level that hadn't been heard since the Hib-Tone single. Also, the production quality is far more dynamic than any of the band's previous efforts. Gone is the lo-fi, tinny sound. Mitch Easter and Don Dixon were still the men behind the boards, but Reckoning is far more polished when compared to Murmur and Chronic Town. The bass is fuller and the drums are less distant sounding.

Two of R.E.M.'s most noteworthy, early singles appear on this album: "So. Central Rain" and "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville". Both tracks are standout moments on Reckoning, which is already packed with strong songs. "So. Central Rain" is a sad, country ballad, with a pleading chorus, and a cathartic ending full of wailing vocals and banging pianos. "Rockville" is pure folk/country gold. The piano is back, but it has more of a honky-tonk vibe this time around. The whole "down home" feel is punctuated by Michael Stipe's overly twangy vocals. It comes close to farce, but he's able to pull it off.

Reckoning also features the band's most rocking song to date: "Pretty Persuasion". The verse contains several tracks of vocals by Michael Stipe and Mike Mills overlapping in a very hypnotic fashion, but the real hero of the song is guitarist Peter Buck. He throws every trick into this number: arpeggiated intro, stuttering pre-chorus, rocking chord strumming for the chorus, and a gnarly, distorted bridge. Up to this point in their recording career, I don't think R.E.M. ever sounded as powerful as they do during that amazing bridge. Besides, how many opportunities does one get to scream "God Damn" in the chorus of a rock song?

The rest of the album is almost as strong and gorgeous. "Time After Time (AnnElise)" gives off a mystical feeling given the song's Middle Eastern influence. Stipe looks even further east for lyrical influence on "7 Chinese Bros." "Second Guessing" is another high-energy track that kicks off the second side of the record, much in the fashion that "Harborcoat" starts the first. "Letter Never Sent" is a pretty straight forward rock number and "Little America" is an amusing album ender, but one of the highlights of the second half of Reckoning is "Camera". This a wonderfully serene meditation and R.E.M. take their time with it. If anything, "Camera", with its deliberate pace and ever prestent organ, is a hint of things to come on future albums like Out of Time and Automatic for the People.

Reckoning marks the first in a series of albums by R.E.M. that are the strongest in the band's catalogue. Ideas formulated here would go one and become more realized on the next batch of records. This is ten tracks that make a cohesive whole and is full of songs that do not blandly bleed into each other like the end of Murmur.

7 out of 10

Standing Too Soon

Murmur - 1983

After relentless touring and the experience of recording a single and an EP, R.E.M. got down to the business of recording a full length record in 1983. Murmur would go on to be critically acclaimed and immoratalized on many "Greastest Albums of All-Time" lists. Due to the praise it received, a lot of music listeners became aware of the idea of non-mainstream, or alternative, music for the first time. I think that it's a fine record, but far from their best.

Before any of the five readers of this blog decides to burn me in effigy for this opinion, let me explain where and when I'm coming from. My introduction to Murmur came eight years after it was released. Six other albums by R.E.M. had been recorded after that one, and it was one of the last records by the band that I got around to listening to. As a result, my opinion comes from hindsight and I did not have the benefit of hearing Murmur when it was originally released in 1983 (Besides I was in the fourth grade the day it came out, so I was probably more into Hall & Oats, at the time). I can only offer my opinion of how I feel about the record on its own as well as in comparison to the rest of the R.E.M. catalogue.

My biggest beef with Murmur is the fact that it includes then newly recorded versions of "Radio Free Europe" and "Standing Still". I'm not against an updated take on a band's song appearing on a later recording if it is (a) better, or (b) drastically different. The Murmur versions of these two songs fail both of these points in my mind, especially "Radio Free Europe". "Standing Still" almost manages to capture the energy of the Hib-Tone single, but "Radio Free Europe" seems like the original on a sleepwalk. The power and rawness has been leeched out of it. I think that Murmur would have been a far better album without their inclusion.

So how would I have started the record? "Moral Kiosk" appears to be the most likely candidate for the role of album opener. It's upbeat and has a great starting guitar riff. I'd almost suggest "9 - 9" because it wouldn't sound out of place on Chronic Town and would have made a nice bridge between the EP and the LP. Unfortunately, the opening guitar line maybe a little too similar to the opening of "Wolves, Lower", making the it appear on the onset of the LP that R.E.M. have only a few tricks and a limited sound.

In my opinion, this is a front loaded record. After listening to it at any given time, the most prominent tracks reside on the a-side. Besides the aforementioned "Radio Free Europe" and "Moral Kiosk" the first half of Murmur includes two of the best songs produced by R.E.M. during their early years at I.R.S. Records: "Talk About The Passion" and "Perfect Circle". Both tracks are moving and beautiful. They are unique enough to not get lost amongst the other songs on Murmur, yet fit nicely as part of the whole. This is not the case with most of the second half. In particular, I find the last three songs on the album seem to bleed into each other without much distinction.

I know that it sounds like that I'm really coming down on Murmur, but I still think that it is a solid record. If anything, it's an important look at where R.E.M. was creatively and sonically in 1983 and the beginning of their career. It sure beats everything they've put out in the last eight years.

6 out of 10

Gentlemen Don't Get Caught

My R.E.M. retrospective continues. I've tried to provide links to the songs as they appear on the records. If I can't find one, I'll substitute it with a live performance from the appropriate era:

Chronic Town (EP) - 1982

Now that R.E.M. had a single under their belts, it was time to take the next step in their rock careers and put out a five song ep. Chronic Town is a very tight and well-realized batch of songs. It's hard to find anything to complain about. The trademarks that were hinted at on the single become more evident here: jangly guitar, agile bass playing, straightforward drumming, mumbled vocals. While all these songs continue to display these aspects, the song writing and structures are varied enough that each song is able to establish its own identities and they don't run into the problem of all sounding alike. I've seen the tracklisting two different ways (a flipping of the A and B sides), but this is the one that I've always known and structurally I think it works the best.

"Wolves, Lower" - This is a great leadoff track. The opening guitar riff is one of Peter Buck's best and it's a hell of a hook. It has a nice verse-prechorus-chorus build and there's a eerie tensions that is maintained throughout the rest of Chronic Town. Mike Mill's background vocals start to appear with this song and are a great counter point to Michael Stipe's lead. Also, there's a great breakdown bridge that is punctuated with creepy guitar and feedback noise.

"Gardening at Night" - This song is more in keeping with what the band's sound will be like over the next few years. Less tense than the rest of Chronic Town, but still full of energy. Stipe uses a odd falsetto on this track, which causes it further separation with the rest of the ep (a new vocal track was later cut and can be heard on Eponymous. I prefer that version). Still, this is the first real signature R.E.M. song and it is inspiration for the name they use for copyrighting their music.

"Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)" - This track opens with a spooky keyboard part that gives a this carnival a haunted feel. This song quickly gets rocking and drummer Bill Berry really shines on this track. He's responsible for a lot of the dynamic shifts in it. It has a great chorus and Mills is back supplying some wonderful backing vocals. A very energetic track that makes for a great centerpiece for the record.

"1,000,000" - The second side kicks off with another upbeat rocker. I would argue that this is Michael Stipes' best vocal performance on Chronic Town. Sure, you still can hardly tell what he's saying but he bounces from growl to serene mumbling and back. Peter Buck continues to balance his jangle with his rock for a solid and exciting guitar sound.

"Stumble" - Chronic Town comes to a close with this song. This is a pretty decent coda for the ep as it brings together a lot of the sounds from the previous tracks back into play. The haunted tones of "Carnival of Sorts" and the creepy effects from "Wolves, Lower" makes a reappearance near the end while Berry does some excellent tribal tom work. I've always like intro in which Stipe bumps the microphone, laughs, and says "Teeth".

Overall, a tight little number of songs that may sound a little raw and dated production wise. Still, Chronic Town is a great listen and an indicator of where R.E.M.'s sound was going at the time.

8 out of 10

Wasting Time Sitting Still

You'd think that after my "Top 40 Songs of 2007" project that I'd have learned by lesson... but no! After yesterday's post about the new R.E.M. song "Supernatural Superserious" and forthcoming album, Accelerate, I've decided to get a little ambitious and write an album by album retrospective spanning their twenty plus year career. Why not? Right?

Though I was familiar with some of their radio hits, I didn't fall in love with R.E.M. until Out of Time. 1991 was the year that I really became a music junkie and R.E.M. happened to be one of the bands that I quickly became enamored with. Shortly after purchasing Out of Time, I picked up Eponymous, and as a best of, it was the perfect introduction to the band. From there, I quickly devoured their back catalogue and I've been a fan ever since. Unfortunately, this is a band that I've never had the pleasure of seeing live (other than concert films).

So, without further ado:

Radio Free Europe/Sitting Still (Hib-Tone Single) - 1981
I don't plan on addressing all the singles individually, but this is where it all began. Both songs are gloriously low-fi and raw. In my opinion, these versions of "Radio Free Europe" and "Sitting Still" are heads and shoulders above the ones that would later appear on Murmur. Fast, dirty and in keeping what I would think that the boys from Athens, GA would have sounded like playing in a bar in the early '80s. The early R.E.M. sound staples are here: Michael Stipe's mumbled, incomprehensible verses, Peter Buck's jangly Rickenbacker guitar, Mike Mill's fluid, but not showy, bass lines, and Bill Berry's staightforward, "just right" drumming.

One thing that doesn't appear, but will become a vital part of the R.E.M. formula, is Mill's backing vocals. Even if Mills does sing on these tracks, it's not evident; Stipe's voice dominates both tracks in the lead vocals and in the backing ones. As far as the guitars are concerned, both songs are propelled by a fast down-strummed, ka-chuck-a rhythm which provides a lot energy behind the shimmery, single chord splashes. It's a guitar sound that is solid mixture of punk power melded with Beatle-sque pop. Both songs are two of the band's best during their early years and are great indicators of what would come after.

9 out of 10